Jerome McBain

Robert Douglass

AUBURN, (N.Y.) Aug. 23. Tragical event. - We have the disagree- able task to record a most cruel murder of an infant of nine months old, in the town of Reading, Steuben county: Our inform- ant who saw the child, relates to us the fol- lowing circumstances: - A young man, son of a Mr. Isaac Baldwin, of Litchfield, (Con.) being deranged in his mind in con- sequence of disappointed love was sent to Mr. Elisha Ward, of Reading, (a friend of his father) in hopes that a change of situa- tion would conduce to resore him to his senses. Unfortunately it had not the desi- red effect. He lately insisted upon going home to his friends, and made several at- tempts to escape, but on Mr. Ward's stop- ping him, and not suffering him to go, he got into a passion, and threatened revenge if not permitted - On Wednesday last, he accomplished his threat; he took Mr. Ward's child from the arms of a young woman, went out of the house took up an axe, and laying the child's head on a stump, which was before the door, deliberately cut it off! - What a dreadful agonizing spec- ticale it must have been for the parents to see their beloved infant weltering in its blood; with its head severed from its body! Their feeling will be more conceived than described. This unfortunate young man appeared greatly affected, after he had committed the fatal deed. He confessed the murder, as we are informed, and said he did it with an intention, whilst the family was in confu- sion, to make his escape to Connecticut. Coroner's inquest Wilful Murder. Windham Herald; September 7, 1809.	DOMESTIC. Distressing Accident. - On Tuesday, the 8th inst. Mr. John Cornwell Smith, who resides in Troupsburgh, Steuben County, accidentally shot his wife. The particulars were related to us by Mr. Smith himself. On Monday morning the 7th, he discovered some deer in the meadow adjoining his house, and on Tuesday morning he arose very early with a view of endeavouring to kill them, but it being dark he went to bed again; some time after he got up a second time, and from his door saw a deer feeding, he immediately took down his rifle, but it was rather dark to shoot with certainty, he waited a few minutes. In the mean time he prepared his piece by fresh priming; and at the instant he was rising to go to the door to shoot the deer, his rifle accidentally slipped from is hands, and in endeavoring to recover it in his right hand struck the cock, when it went off, and the whole contents passed through the left shoulder and head of his wife, who lay sleeping in the bed with her child of about eleven months old in her arms, which was preserved from the fate of her mother. The feelings of the bereaved husband at this time can be better conceived than described. He seized his infant in a state of distraction, and carrying it ran to his father's about a mile distant, (being the nearest neighbor) and related the dreadful catastrophe. The neighbours immediately collected at the fatal spot, and found Mrs. Smith lifeless in bed. She was buried on the Thursday following. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were young people, they had not been married two years, and it is said they have always lived together in the most happy and agreeable manner. He appears to feel sensibly and deeply the full force of this afflicting dispensation. We hope this melancholy accident may have a tendency to make people more careful in handling fire arms - Nat. Adv. The Pittsfield Sun; September 6, 1820.	MURDER. Our readers will doubtless recollect an af- fecting article which went the rounds of the newspapers, respecting an accident, which was said to have occured in Steuben county, of John Cornwell Smith, formerly of this town, in shooting his wife; and no man of feeling can have forgotten the impessions which such a melancholy event was calcu- lated to make on his mind. Reports have arrived in town, from good authority, that the body of Mrs. Smith, has been taken up, and it has been discovered that she had taken arsenic previous to having been shot. In the mean time Smith had disappeared and has since been heard of in Ohio. He is pursued and strong hopes are entertained of his being yet brought to justice. He is one day before his pursuers. - W. Courier. The Freeman's Journal; Nov. 13, 1820. Murder. - A few weeks since, Josiah Winfield, of Paulding, Steuben County, N.Y. called on Dr. Husten, for two por- tions of arsenic, to destroy rats, as he said. The Doctor suspected he intended to make an improper use of the poison, gave two emetics, and followed him to his, house, & observed him (through the window) feeding his infant child with one part of it, and urging his wife to take the other. - The Doctor being satisfied of the wicked designs of Winfield, rushed in and charged him with the intention of murder. His wife and child had been sick for some time past, and it seems this monster in human shape intended to destroy their lives and rid himself of the trouble of attending upon them. The child soon died, the emetic being too powerful for its debilitated frame. The fellow is safely lodged in jail at Bath. - N. H. Reg. Norwich Courier; February 4, 1824.
Indian Murder. Genesee Register, Sept. 28. We understand that five Indians belonging to Squaka Hill, about six miles from this place, were committed to jail in Bath, Steuben county, on Thursday last, charged with the murder of Mr. Joshua Stevens, of Canesteo. We have not yet learned all the particulars of this tragical affair, though it appears that the Indians had gone to Canesteo for a fall hunt; two of them having procured a quanity of whiskey, had separated fromt he others, when Mr. Stevens, who was looking for his cattle, happened to be passing near the intoxicated Indians, was fired upon by one of them, named Old Sundown; the ball passed through his hand which was at the time on or near his hip, and through the abdomen. Next morning the body of Mr. S. was found on the spot where he was fired upon by the Indians from which it appears that he died instantly. The few Indians who remain in this quarter, are in general civil, and peaceably disposed, especially towards white people - indeed this is the only act of lawless outrage committed by them on any white person, which we have heard of in many years. Georgetown Gazette, October 18, 1825. At a court in Steuben county, last week, Eliza Comstock was convicted of the murder of her husband, William Comstock, by administering to him arsenic. She was sentenced to be hung on the 23d July. At the same court, Ashly Millard was tried for the murder of Dan Smith, and a verdict was given of manslaughter. He was sentenced to the state prison for life. The New York Morning Herald, June 17, 1830. DOUBLE MURDER AT ELMIRA, N.Y. Elmira, N. Y., Dec 24 - A special dispatch to the Advertiser, from Rathbone, Steuben county, N.Y., says that at 10:30, to-night, William Harrington was shot and instantly killed and Wm. Allen mortally wounded by Floyd Myers. All of the men had been drinking and the victim of the shooting accused Myers of stealing a wagon robe, and drove to his house and demanded it, when he walked out of the house and opened fire on them with a shotgun. Allen fell from the wagon while the horse ran away with the body of Harrington, which remained in the wagon . Myers is a bad character, having once shot a man at Addison. He is at large at midnight, but the sheriff's officers expect to catch him before daylight. Daily Charlotte Observer, Dec. 25, 1896.	From the Steuben Courier. Most Horrible Cruelty and Probable Murder. A widow lady, of the name of Henry, is now confined in the jail of this county, charged in substance with the murder of an orphan girl of 6 or 7 years of age who had been placed under her guardianship. The accused resided in the town of Hornby. The child came to its death the 11th of last January. Nothing was known of the sickness of the girl by the neighbors until the day of her death. The assistants in putting on the shroud, discovered that the hands were bandaged. Soon after the funeral some remarks dropped from Mrs. H. or some member of her family, which excited suspicion, which on enquiries being made from time to time increased to such an extent that she was arrested on the 11th inst., and underwent an examination, in which no positive proof of her guilt was elicited. She was discharged, but circumstances were so strong against her, that the body was disinterred, a coroner's inquest held, which resulted in a verdict, that the child came to its death by violence and ill-treatment. On removing the bandages from the hands, all the fingers and one of the thumbs were ready to drop off, one of the middle fingers was missing. This the accused acknowledged dropped off before the child died. Each finger and thumb were done up seperately with a bandage and splint. This condition of the hands is said to have been caused by freezing, it being in proof that the child had been tied up and left in an open shop or room in extreme cold weather. A bruise was found on the forehead, and sores, wounds and bruises were discovered on various parts of the body, some appearing to have been caused by burns or scalds, others by whips and heavy instruments used in unmercifully beating the child. Some of the wounds are nearly healed, others were ulcerated, and others appeared to have been of a recent date. All these wounds were dressed with cloths, and smeared with grease or ointment. From the appearance of the stomach and bowels, no nourishment had been received by the child for several days previous to its death. There can be but little doubt that the child was murdered by inches, commenced by most cruel and brutal punishment, and wickedly consumated by beating and starvation to avoid the detection of that brutality which must sooner or later have been exposed, had the child lived. Steuben Courier, April 9, 1844. Sentence of a Murderer. - Nero Grant, who was recently convicted of murder, in Steuben county, was brought into court on Wednesday and sentenced by Judge Bronson to be executed on the 26th of June next. The Sun, May 22, 1847.	MURDER. - One of the most shocking murders on record was perpetrated on Monday, the 4th inst. in Dansville, Steuben county, by a fellow named Mallard, on the body of an old man named South. The circumstances, as near as we can learn, are as follows: - Mallard went to the barn of a Mr. Markham, where South was a work, dressing flax. He professed to be very much fatigued, and requested Smith to furnish a team, either to take him to his family in Howard, or bring his family to him. Smith said he had not team - that Mr. Markham had one, but was gone with it. Mallard was not satisfied, and insisted upon being obeyed. After some altercation, Mallard commenced beating deceased with a stick, to escape which, he ran towards the house, where Mallard overtook and knocked him down with a club, senseless. He then seized an axe, and deliberately chopped the old man's head off, cutting through the chin, so as to leave part of the jaw bone attached to the body. He then tore open his vest and shirt, and split him entirely open from his breast down; in which situation he left him, and started in pursuit of Mrs. Markam, who had crawled through a windo wand fled. She escaped, however, and rallied some neighbours, who pursued and caught the murderer. He is now lodged in our jail. - Bath (Steuben co) Advocate. Ithaca Journal and General Advertiser, January 20, 1830. MURDER OF THE REV. EVAN ROBERTS OF STEUBEN COUNTY. - The Albany Evening Journal denies that this gentlemaen fell in the lock of the Canal Basin at Albany in a state of intoxication, as he was a man of perfectly temperate habits. The body was found on Friday morning. An inquest was held, and testimony introduced which leaves no reasonable ground to doubt but that he was murdered, robbed of his watch, and about $100 in money. Mr. Roberts was on his way to New York, with a span of horses which had been put on board a tow boat - N. Y. Star. The Baltimore Gazette and Daily Advertiser, September 2, 1836.